Low-temperature CO oxidation over a compositional series of Pd-Au nanoalloy catalysts supported on silica fume was studied. Except for the pure metals, these materials invariably showed biphasic separation into palladium- and gold-rich components. Performance was optimal for a catalyst of bulk composition Pd(4)Au(1), a mixture of Pd(90)Au(10) (72.5 at. %) and Pd(31)Au(69) (27.5 at. %), that was remarkably active at 300 K and more stable than a pure Au catalyst. For bulk materials dominated by Pd (Pd:Au = 16:1; 8:1; 4:1), the palladium-rich alloy fraction frequently adopted hollow sphere or annular morphology, while the gold-rich crystals were often multiply twinned. Quantitative powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that under the synthesis conditions used, the Au solubility limit in Pd crystals was approximately 12 at. %, while Pd was more soluble in Au (approximately 31 at. %). This was consistent with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which revealed that the surfaces of Pd-rich alloys were enriched in gold relative to the bulk composition. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectra collected during CO oxidation contained a new band at 2114 cm(-1) (attributed to linear CO-Au/Au-Pd bonds) and reduced intensity of a band at 2090 cm(-1) (arising from a linear CO-Pd bond) with escalating Au content, indicating that the Pd sites became increasingly obscured by Au. High-resolution electron micrographs (HRTEM) of the Pd-rich alloys revealed atomic scale surface defects consistent with this interpretation. These results demonstrate that gold-containing biphasic Pd nanoalloys may be highly durable alternatives for a range of catalytic reactions.

An iron oxychloride (FeOCl) catalyst was developed for oxidative degradation of persistent organic compounds in aqueous solutions. Exceptionally high activity for the production of hydroxyl radical (OH·) by H2O2 decomposition was achieved, being 2-4 orders of magnitudes greater than that over other Fe-based heterogeneous catalysts. The relationship of catalyst structure and performance has been established by using multitechniques, such as XRD, HRTEM, and EPR. The unique structural configuration of iron atoms and the reducible electronic properties of FeOCl are responsible for the excellent activity. This study paves the way toward the rational design of relevant catalysts for applications, such as wastewater treatment, soil remediation, and other emerging environmental problems.